One Piece: It All Started When I Found Shanks' Arm

Chapter 57: Nojiko's Determination

In total, he had accumulated 7,650 points, bringing his remaining balance to an astonishing 46,150.

The four thousand points from Garp's dog-head hat were not surprising. But the fact that the counterfeit straw hat he had bought for five hundred Belli could contribute three thousand—a tenth of the original's value—was a pleasant surprise. Shane hadn't expected it to be worth much at all.

It seemed that as long as Luffy never saw through the deception and continued to treat it as the real thing, he would naturally pour a great deal of emotion into it, viewing it as his most cherished possession. This meant that before he entered the Grand Line, Shane could stably harvest a large wave of "leeks" every year.

Nice.

Shane retracted his gaze with satisfaction, preparing to have a good night's sleep. The only thing that annoyed him slightly was that, at some point, a new skill had been added to the end of his skills panel.

—Theft (Adept).

This is outrageous.

Isn't this all for the sake of earning points to protect my hometown and family! Can the affairs of a martial artist be called stealing?!

The next morning.

Shane and his group left the Colubo Mountains, bidding farewell to the enthusiastic Dadan family, a reluctant Luffy, and a stone-faced Ace, and began their journey home.

After a few days of sailing.

On the deck of the Orange Grove, Shane lay on a wicker chair, reading a newspaper with great interest.

In an inconspicuous corner, there was a piece of news that caught his eye—the latest Cherry Blossom Island Kendo Tournament had officially concluded yesterday. A dark horse, a girl named Kuina, had stunned the audience and easily won the championship.

"Winning the championship with a perfect record? Her training progress is really something."

Kuina truly wanted to improve. Not only to catch up with a certain someone she idolized, but also to prove herself to Koshiro, who had always been biased and had even said some very hurtful things to her face.

After meeting her last year, Shane had sensed that beneath the girl's sensible and polite surface, there was a stubborn heart that longed to stand at the pinnacle.

"When I officially set out to sea and you get on the ship, what level will your strength have reached?"

Shane looked towards the distant sky, his gaze leisurely. With Zeff's guidance and the various martial arts manuals he had provided, and more importantly, with her own outstanding talent for swordsmanship, she had crossed the line between life and death that was never supposed to have a "beyond"... He had high expectations for this partner, whom he had already designated as his second official crewmate.

"Dammit, are we really going back so soon?"

Nami's indignant muttering came from behind him.

Just as Shane came back to his senses, he felt a coolness on his neck. The little girl had climbed onto his back and was now wrapping her arms around his neck, shaking him with all her might. "Bro! Can't we play for a little longer? How about you drop me off at Shimotsuki Village when we pass by?"

"We're taking a direct route home, we're not passing by Shimotsuki Village. Besides, what would you do there?"

Shane couldn't be bothered with her and picked up the newspaper again. As for his neck? He had long since trained his body to be as flexible as a crane's. If Nami could actually choke him, he'd be impressed.

"Well..." Nami's eyes darted around, and she began to act cute. "I actually want to be a powerful swordmaster just like you, to guard our hometown and protect Belle-mère and Nojiko! And since big sis Kuina should be back by now, I... I'll just go and learn swordsmanship from her!"

"Heh..." Shane sneered. Who would believe that reason, besides an adult Sanji?

"Nami!"

Nojiko's voice suddenly came from behind. She angrily grabbed Nami's ear and forcibly pulled her off Shane's back—

"That's so shameless! I told you what was in my heart last night, and you're using it now to trick our brother!"

"Ouch! Wuwuwu, I didn't mean it, Nojiko."

"Then tell the truth! What do you really want to do in Shimotsuki Village!"

"I want to eat Uncle Zeff's cooking! Don't you want to, Nojiko? His food tastes hundreds of times better than Belle-mère's! My mouth starts watering just thinking about it..."

"I'll tell Belle-mère exactly what you said."

"Eh?!!! Help me! No, please don't!"

Listening to the scolding from behind, Shane cheerfully crossed his legs and continued to read the newspaper.

This was probably what they called "one thing submits to another." Nami was fearless in front of him, but the moment Nojiko stepped in, she immediately turned into a marshmallow that could be kneaded at will.

In the past, the two little girls were always at odds with each other, constantly fighting. But as Nojiko began to enter puberty, the height difference between them gradually grew, and that was no longer the case. Now, twelve-year-old Nojiko was already 1.6 meters tall, while Nami was still a little bean sprout at 1.4-something meters. With such a large gap in combat power, the authority of the older sister was gradually established.

However, did Nojiko just say that Nami had stolen her heartfelt words?

"Stop scolding her for a moment," Shane turned his head curiously. "Is what Nami said true? Do you really want to practice swordsmanship, get stronger, and protect our hometown in my place in the future?"

"I do want to get stronger, and I want to protect our home," Nojiko nodded first, then poked Nami's forehead in annoyance. "But I could learn anything to get stronger! The swordsmanship part was something this little troublemaker made up!"

"What do you mean, made up? It was a reasonable guess, okay!" Nami said, rubbing her red ear, looking aggrieved. "Wasn't it you who told me last night that Kuina from Mr. Koshiro's house is the same age as you, yet she's already qualified to compete for the championship of the kendo tournament, and was even invited by our brother to go on an adventure?"

"And you can't even beat the village goose. You were inspired, right? So I naturally thought you wanted to learn swordsmanship too..." she huffed, pointing at Shane. "But if you ask me, if you really want to learn swordsmanship, why look for Mr. Koshiro? You should have our brother teach you! He's the strongest... no, the world's strongest great swordmaster! He's way better than Koshiro!"

"You're getting more and more exaggerated," Shane said, tweaking Nami's nose.

He pondered for a moment and looked at Nojiko. "I can't teach you swordsmanship, but there are plenty of other martial arts for you to learn. In the early stages of building your foundation, I can create a training plan that's most suitable for you. In the future, if there are any manuals that suit you, I'll find a way to get them for you."

"But Nojiko, think about it carefully. Are you really sure you can endure the hardship?"

"I can!"

Nojiko clenched her fists and nodded with serious determination. "Don't underestimate my resolve, Bro!"

Of course, she knew how tiring it was to train to become strong. For the past few years, Shane had trained hard every day, and she was the one who brought him water and food the most. She would never forget the sight of his self-torturous, desperate efforts for the rest of her life.

But it was all to protect Cocoyasi Village, and even more so, to protect them, wasn't it?

Especially a few months ago, her brother had been so on edge he seemed almost crazed. She had been a little afraid even watching him from a distance. Fortunately, after defeating that invading pirate crew, her brother had visibly relaxed and returned to his former self.

But no matter what, she didn't want to go on like this, being a useless burden. She didn't want her brother to be constantly distracted and worried about their safety.

Now, her brother was at home, and no one dared to disturb the peace of Cocoyasi Village. But what about the future? Her brother was a person with great ambitions. He would eventually leave to venture out into the world.

At that time, it would be up to her, as the eldest daughter, to stand up and take on the responsibility of protecting her sister and mother!

Shane quietly watched the blue-haired girl, and the girl stubbornly met his gaze.

"I didn't even notice, but you've slowly grown up, Nojiko," Shane suddenly said with some emotion, smiling as he ruffled her small head. "Since you have this resolve, then fine. After we get back to the village, we'll officially start your training. My training ground in the orange grove is still there. It's just right to hand it over to you now."

"Okay!"

Nojiko nodded forcefully. She hadn't expected to get Shane's support so easily and was overjoyed.

"What about me, Bro?"

Nami, who had taken out an orange from somewhere and started eating, asked indistinctly. "I was just kidding before! I just want to study my navigation, read books, and draw sea charts. I don't want to be forced to run dozens of kilometers every day..."

"This doesn't concern you. Go play on the side."

Shane lay back down, shook his newspaper, and raised the corner of his mouth nonchalantly. "If even a little one like you has to be forced to train, wouldn't all the sweat shed by us tall guys standing at the front be in vain?"

Tall guys? Sweat shed in vain?

What does that mean? Nami was completely lost, and she popped a slice of orange into her mouth with a bewildered expression.

Nojiko, beside her, smiled and, imitating Shane, gently ruffled her small head.

Ten days later.

The "Orange Grove" returned to Cocoyasi Village, resuming its mission as a cargo ship. And after a good night's sleep, it was time for the Trading Market to refresh. Shane, while brushing his teeth, began to browse.

The first two items had a very low cost-to-benefit ratio, so he skipped them without interest. But when he got to the third item, his eyes suddenly lit up.

[Life Return]

[Type: Training Manual]

[Price: 1800 Points]

[Description: A high-level martial art that achieves complete fusion of mind and body through extreme control of bodily functions. After mastering it, you can freely control the activity of all your organs, hair, and even cells, achieving precise domination over your body.]

[This martial art belongs to the same combat system as the Six Powers and is closely related to them. To avoid going astray, it is recommended to master Iron Body and Paper Art before practicing this manual.]

[Seller's Remark: None. System Direct Sale.]

Finally, Life Return?

Shane's right hand, which was brushing his teeth, suddenly became forceful and urgent. He had been looking forward to this for a long time. Over the past year, the stats of his body had improved too quickly, and his microscopic control couldn't quite keep up. The incident where he accidentally twisted the steel frame of the birthday cake cart into a pretzel, and the fact that he didn't dare to move too much while sitting in a dining chair, were because of this.

Crack...

The toothbrush in his hand suddenly snapped. Shane was speechless. Well, there's another piece of evidence.

He had no choice but to finish early and start rinsing his mouth, his eyes fixed on the description text.

"I need to learn Iron Body and Paper Art first?"

Shane frowned. He had long since mastered Iron Body, but what about Paper Art? The remaining two of the Six Powers hadn't appeared in the past few months.

Prerequisites are the worst. How long do I have to wait to learn this?

He added it to his cart with some frustration, then scrolled to the next item.

Hm?

Shane stared at the new item before him. His previously furrowed brow instantly smoothed out—

[Rokushiki Manual x2]

[Type: Training Manual]

[Price: 800 Points]

[Description: Since you have already purchased four of the manuals, the remaining two random manuals will be guaranteed to be Tempest Kick and Paper Art.]

[Seller's Remark: None. System Direct Sale.]